Cowboys' Witten out with lacerated spleen

Need proof that football is a really tough sport?

Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Wednesday that his Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten sustained a "slightly lacerated" spleen in the preseason opener Monday night against Oakland.

Forget slightly, you had us at lacerated - ouch.

"It's a very serious injury and we're really taking this thing day by day," Garrett said. "He has to be very still and idle for the next week to 10 days, so you won't see him out here on the practice field. He won't play in the game this week or next week."

Witten apparently got hurt after he caught a pass and was immediately hit from the side by Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain. The play resulted in a 2-yard loss.

The tight end is expected to miss the rest of the preseason, starting with Saturday night's game at San Diego. But figure that Witten, who has missed only one game in his nine NFL seasons - in his rookie season in 2003, when he had a broken jaw - will try to make the 'Boys' season opener against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 5.

Tough game, tough guy.

At the team's last public practice in Cortland, N.Y., before heading home, Jets backup quarterback and main wildcat man Tim Tebow ran the second-team offense and worked on special teams, while New York's other three QBs - Mark Sanchez, Greg McElroy and Matt Simms - were thrilling fans by tossing balls into a plastic garbage can from 40 yards out on consecutive throws. Also, Tebow jerseys have finally been restocked after the adult sizes sold out in May.

Football culture gets a big change on Sept. 13, when the NFL Network's Thursday Night Football musical intro gets an infusion of hip-hop genius and classic punk rock.

Cee Lo Green is taking over the "fanthem" and rather than the traditional musician-centered pretaped opener, the NFL and Green are inviting fans to submit videos of themselves singing along to the chorus of a song based on the Ramones' "Blitzkrieg Bop" - for some reason renamed "I Love Football."